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The Web paves the way for a pianist named Wunder

Austrian pianist Ingolf Wunder earned his American debut in an audition over the World Wide Web. He first came to the attention of the Frederic Chopin Society in the Twin Cities when his performances at the 15th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw appeared on the Web. Society leaders found them so riveting that they invited the 21-year-old to Minnesota.

Wunder didn't seriously dedicate himself to the piano until he was 14, when a teacher noticed his special talents on the instrument. Since then he's won first prize at several international competitions.

In a visit to Minnesota Public Radio's Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, Wunder talks with host Alison Young about the joy of playing the piano and his dislike of competitions. He also plays "Ondine" from Ravel's "Gaspard de la Nuit" and the final movement of Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 7--pieces that are part of the program for his professional U.S. concert debut Sunday afternoon at Macalester College.